Is Abbey of Montmajour Worth a Visit

It would be easy enough to skip the Abbey of Montmajour as you are rushing to Arles for a Feria du Riz or for lunch in St Remy on a lively terrace.

Don’t skip by – it is magical!

At the height of the season, the Abbey’s parking lot is full of buses. However, if you time it right (May and September are better), you may just have the remains of this historical monument (since 1840) practically to yourself.

Situated on Saint Peter’s hill outside of Arles, this impressive Benedictine Abbey began as a humble hermitage in the 10^th century. As the religious order’s influence magnified so did the structures on the hillside. The Romanesque church and cloisters were built during the 12^th century. The Tower of Abbot Pons de l’Orme rose to 26 metres in height after 1369 built for defensive purposes, and finally the18^th century Saint Maur Monastery.

There are two things that struck me during one of my recent visits:

• The scale of these buildings
  1. The already voluminous church was planned to have five additional bays.
  2. The monastery was at its peak 8,000 sq meters the largest in France.
• It was an island surrounded by marshland

Yes, Abbey of Montmajour is Worth a Visit. Check out Christian Lacroix’s view here.

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).